Obstructions within pipes, tubes, body cavities, and vessels can often inhibit access through the pipes, tubes, body cavities, and vessels. For example, disuse, low flow, slow flow, contaminants, unwanted chemical reactions, and/or obstructive material can narrow or block pipes, tubes, or drains in a household, commercial, laboratory, or industrial setting. Similarly, for example, atherosclerosis and other circulatory diseases occur when the arteries become narrowed or blocked. Plaque formation within the arteries can cause occlusive lesions or other obstructions on the artery wall. Similarly, clots, thrombus, stenosis, or tortuosity in a vessel can also act to inhibit access or movement through the vessel. Such an obstruction can also cause health problems by impeding movement of fluid through the vessel. For example, if the vessel is a blood vessel, the obstruction may impede blood flow.
In addition, the ability of the obstruction to block the vessel can also create issues during surgery. For example, during a surgical procedure (e.g., angioplasty, stent placement, or other procedures within a cavity or vessel) a surgeon may require access, along the vessel, to a site distal to the obstruction. In other situations, a surgeon may wish to deliver a stent, catheter, or other device to the site of obstruction so that fluid, surgical devices, and/or other material can move across the obstruction. However, it can often be difficult to pass a catheter or other devices across the area of obstruction in the presence of an obstruction in the vessel. Repeated attempts and increased advancement force can be dangerous, as such acts may result in vessel perforation or laceration.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a system that can provide access across an obstruction in a pipe, tube, body cavity, or vessel in order to provide easier passage therethrough while minimizing potential damage to the walls of the pipe, tube, body cavity, or vessel.